*and if it's real, well, I don't want to know...*
- Theo, are you ok??
He was shifting his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other, staring at the floor with a strange look.
- Yeah.... fine. I need to talk to you.
He muttered.
- What's going on, what happened?
- Nothing, uh. I'm leaving.
- What... what do you mean, what happened?
I walked into the living room, dropped my purse on a console table.
- I need to leave.
- To leave, what do you mean? Why? What happened?
It made just no sense.
- I want to leave. I'm leaving you.
I was like, what... what??
- Theo, please. It's not funny, come on. Stop it...
I thought he was joking.
- I'm not joking.
He sounded serious.
My heart skipped a beat.
- Theo... seriously, tell me at once... what happened?? You're scaring me...
He didn't reply.
- Theo what happened??
I tried to walk to him, but he pulled back.
- Nothing happened. I just... I don't want to be with you anymore.
I couldn't process his words.
- Theo... I-I don't understand. What's going on? What's wrong? Look, I'm... I'm sorry, If I've done something, I didn't mean it... just tell me what's wrong...
- I just want to go. I've made up my mind.
It was unreal. It didn't make sense.
- Theo, please. Tell me what's wrong... I'm feeling sick.
- Nothing's wrong, just. Well, you work too much.
- What the... yeah, I mean, I-I work too much, we work too much! You're right, ok, ok, I know that. It's just a few months though, and our internships will be over...
I tried to caress his arm but again, he pulled back.
I started thinking that after Covid, maybe he had been getting into some kind of burnout.
He couldn't take our crazy rhythm anymore.
- Theo, I'm sorry. Really, uhm... we're both exhausted, I know. Forgive me, I didn't realize just how much.
He walked to the door.
- Theo... Theo, stop, please, where are you going?? Theo, seriously. Seriously, please. Stay here, talk to me. I'll take some time off, I promise.
He looked for his keys in the bowl.
- Theo seriously.... I'm calling them. I'm calling them, ok? I'll take a day off tomorrow.
He found the keys.
- A week off! A week off. I swear. We'll go on holiday somewhere. We'll take a break. I know we've been putting it off for too long! I'll call tomorrow, I'll find an excuse.
- It's too late now.
- Theo, God... what are you talking about... too late for what??
He couldn't give me an answer.
- Theo... have you knocked your head, do you have a headache, a fever??
We just had a case of a young man who had suffered from a personality disorder after an autoimmune encephalitis.
I started to fear the worst. Maybe Theo was sick.
- No, I'm fine. I don't have a headache. I just want to go away from you.
I was in shock. He was speaking in a weird way; muttering, more than speaking.
- Theo, please... I'm sorry if I have been too busy. I'm here now, talk to me. I'll take some time off work, as long as you need. I swear!
- It's too late now. I feel nothing for you but pity.
He feels "nothing for me but pity"?? What the hell is going on...
And his voice was so weird.
And a weird, emotionless expression in his eyes.
Staring at the wall behind me, while talking to me.
He really looked as if he was having a psychotic breakdown or something.
I was seriously worried now.
- Theo, I love you. I love you more than my own life, please. I'm worried. Sit here for a moment and tell me what's going on, you don't look alright to me...
He kept staring at the wall behind me, looking... absent.
- Theo, Theo. I'm here, look at me... it's me.
I tried to wrap my arms around him.
- It's alright, just... let's sit down and talk, ok??
I wanted to see if he had some kind of neurological alterations, like, in his pupils or something. Had he been taking drugs? Was he having an encephalitis? Or just a terrible case of burnout??
My mind was racing. I didn't know what to do.
- I love you Theo, please, take a seat for one minute.
He shook his head.
- I don't love you. I don't want to be with you anymore. I've made up my mind.
Everything sounded so... emotionless. Scary. That wasn't Theo...
My head was spinning, and I was feeling sick.
He picked up his backpack, and opened the door.
- Theo, please... it's pouring, stay here, where are you going...
He didn't listen to me.
- Theo seriously please, please. I'll go out. I'll sleep in the car, ok?? You stay here please...
He was going out alone, maybe in the middle of a nervous breakdown-or something worse. Encephalitis? Head trauma? ... brain cancer??
I had seen so many nasty things in my professional life; my mind was now racing through every possible dramatic scenario.
- Please Theo, take the car at least... Theo please please don't go, don't go take the car...
I tried to grab onto his sleeves, to physically stop him.
He was stronger than me, and he eventually pushed me back.
Slammed the door on my face, and left.
YOU ARE READING
Let's hope for the best
Non-Fiction... but prepare for the worst. When I was a kid, I thought that life was going to be like a Disney movie. Then, alas, life happened. And I found out, I was not ready for it.
